Comprehensive assessment of the southern micellar-carbonate chernozem content and properties irrigated with limitedly available water

Purpose: to take a comprehensive assessment of southern micellar-carbonate chernozem content and properties, irrigated with limitedly available water. Materials and methods. The research was carried out on the territory of a pilot site located in the Saki region of the Republic of Crimea near the village Chervonoye. During the work, the state of water resources used for irrigation and the soil were analyzed. The assessment of water suitability for irrigation was carried out on the basis of soil reclamation classification. The analysis of soil conditions included the determination of: bulk density and solid phase density, granulometric content, particle size distribution, pH, expanded salt content of the. When determining the agro-physical properties of the soil water extract, the following methods were used: pycnometric, drying to constant weight, cutting ring, sieve with water washing, pipette. Results. The topsoil layer was identified as compacted with satisfactory porosity. The nutrient supply was mainly characterized as medium and high, only low content was recorded in 2022 for nitrate nitrogen (0.3–0.7 mg/100 g of soil). Despite the use of limitedly suitable water for irrigation, no water-soluble salt accumulation was recorded in a meter layer of soil. At the end of the irrigation period in 2023, the soils were classified as non-saline, and according to their granulometric texture depending on the depth – as medium loamy, heavy loamy and light clayey. Conclusions. Despite the fact that in the period from 2022 to 2023, irrigation with water with a mineralization of about 1.5 g/l did not lead to the accumulation of water-soluble salts in the soil of the pilot site, it is recommended to organize regular observations of its salt regime. This is justified by the fact that in drier years the precipitation may not be enough to wash out the salts arriving during the growing season with irrigation water into the underlying horizons.